Road Test: Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2D Diamond

SOMETIMES a car manufacturer comes up with the perfect mix of stylish good looks, great handling and off-roading capabilities all packed into one vehicle – the Mitsubishi Outlander is just such a vehicle.

SOMETIMES a car manufacturer comes up with the perfect mix of stylish good looks, great handling and off-roading capabilities all packed into one vehicle – the Mitsubishi Outlander is just such a vehicle.

Admittedly, it doesn’t have quite so many fancy buttons and read-outs as some of the more luxurious 4x4s on our roads today, but when those owners are reluctant to take their pride and joy out on the icy winter roads, the Outlander driver will be getting from A to B no matter what Mother Nature throws in its path.

It can easily be switched from two-wheel to four-wheel drive and a “lock” position is offered as a mode to cope with any testing terrain.

But unlike many of the capable off-roaders on sale today, the Outlander does have plenty of creature comforts such as heated leather seats, cruise control, sat nav, climate control, a cooled glove box and plenty more besides.

And when the need arises this sturdy five-seater can be quickly adapted into a seven-seater by raising two spare seats from the generously-sized boot floor.

The interior is very spacious and the large sunroof allows the cabin to be flooded with light. All passengers are treated to plenty of legroom and comfort levels are very good all round.

Another factor that cannot fail to impress is how well the Outlander handles. Despite its size, it manoeuvred extremely efficiently and was actually quite agile in busy congested city centre traffic.

The excellent all-round visibility and additional parking sensors can help make any driver look accomplished as they squeeze the vehicle into a tight space with ease.

Out on the more open road, the Outlander cruised along with confidence. The ride was very smooth and cabin noise relatively quiet despite the vehicle being diesel-powered.

The 2.2-litre engine delivered ample oomph and the six-speed manual transmission was nice and responsive.

Although I didn’t venture off road during this test drive I do know for a fact it is a very capable performer having driven it across sand dunes, along wet sandy beaches and on unmade mountain tracks in the past.

The vehicle boasts a whole host of safety features including anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, a number of airbags, a sunroof with anti-trapping protection, traction control and a list that seems to go on forever.

All in all, the Outlander is a brilliant all-rounder – it has stunning good looks with stylish tinted windows and rugged lines, it has a great spec list and performs exceptionally well under no matter how demanding the conditions.